


Escaping Where

by bestliars, orphan_account



Category: X-Factor (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 05:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bestliars/pseuds/bestliars, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt 2: Ric and Shatty go on a much needed vacation.<br/>Summery: They want to go on vacation, but are having a hard time getting away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Escaping Where

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lenina](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Lenina).



> Note: this is my first time sharing fan fiction with the internet at large. thanks em for putting up with me.

Sometimes, even when things are starting to go right there is an impulse to run away. They've dealt with that before, to fairly disastrous results. This time they're going to be running away together.

Ric and Shatterstar had a map spread out over the table; it was covered in scribbles, and annotations.

"What are you doing?" Jamie asks.

"We are planning a vacation," Star tells him. "It has become rather frustrating."

"Shouldn't I have been consulted, as you both work for me?"

"We don't know where, or when. We'll let you know when we want time off once we know," Ric says.

Jamie nods, finding this agreeable, but he still feels compelled to ask questions. "What's with the markings?"

"We're trying to decide where to go," Shatterstar says, "By trying to eliminate where we do not."

"So, that's nowhere that X-Force had a base, or Mexico because we've already been there. It can't be someplace cold," Ric says, gesturing, and indeed, most of the Northern Hemisphere is crossed out. "We also don't want to be killed because Star's a mutant."

"You're a mutant," Star interrupts.

"Whatever." Ric scoffs. They aren't going to argue today, not about that. "So no places with homicidal prejudices against mutants, or gays," and there goes most of the Southern United States. "And no place that is likely to attract super villains, or violence." There are black lines through Madripoor, Latveria, Genosha, and the Middle East. New York City is completely obscured by inc. Jamie briefly wonders what logic there is in that, as who would vacation in the town they currently reside. "And we definitely want to stay on earth, in the now," Ric adds in conclusion. Off to the side is a list reading: space, future, past, Mojoworld, Asgard; all crossed out.

Layla, who has been reading over their shoulders says, "You'll want to stay out of Asia all together around now."

"Cause you know stuff?" Ric asks.

She nods sagely. He picks up the marker, and blacks it out with a sigh.

"And you don't want to see the X-Men," Jamie adds. He takes the marker and blacks out San Francisco. They don't stop him.

Later there is still no decision, and one very abused map.

"It would be terribly cliche of me to say I do not care where we go, because we will be there together?" Star asks.

"Total cliche, but sweet," Ric tells him. "It's not getting you out of figuring out where we're going."

Shatterstar sighs. Rictor frowns.

"We could go to Disney World?" Star asks. "It's often shown as a very entertaining place, and I have never been. I do not believe you have either."

"No." There is no room for discussion in his tone.

"Good. I think if you had agreed I would have been miserable. There are lots of...normal people there."

"Normal is...not us. In the slightest."

"Indeed, we are extraordinary," Star beams.

Thoughts of vacations are left behind for a more immediate, visceral escape.

The next day a case comes in. It's messy, literally messy, traipsing through the dirty, sloppy New York snow. It's hard work, and doesn't end well. All thoughts of escape become dreams that ghost in troubled sleep. Christmas slips by in a blink of work topped with alcohol, and rather pathetic attempts at holiday cooking, and cheer.

It's nice to be together again, for the first time in too long, but the realities of life keep on invading. In their line of work vacation days may have to be taken by force.

In the end they give up on plans. It's the cold grey sky that's getting to them. They throw things into Guido's vehicle, with the newly installed sky roof, and drive out of the city. Once they get to a road that's deserted Star stands up, and takes out his swords. Ric drives fast through the glowing X that appears, and now they're on another deserted road. Now it's warm and dry, and the trees have leaves. Ric doesn't recognize the area, and doesn't ask.

+++

The sun is shining at them, perhaps a bit too bright to be completely comfortable, but maybe they aren't the kind of people that are completely comfortable anywhere. Ric thinks this may be the first time he's been completely, naturally warm since fall.

That afternoon they purposely do nothing. They watch the sunset, and sleep under the stars. The next morning Ric wakes up with a crick in his neck from using his boyfriend as a pillow, but considers such inconvenience completely worth it. Star is already up, gracefully stretching, and cutting invisible people with shiny, shiny swords. It's beautiful, or something like that, only more dangerous.

Later on in the day they drive towards civilization on dirt highways. It's a small town, most everything is closed for the holiday, New Year's eve. There aren't any interesting restaurants open, but they cobble together a decent supper. They drive down to the ocean, and find a secluded area of beach.

They spend sometime playing in the water, rather half heartedly, more because it's there, and it would be a shame to let the vast clear blueness go to waste, then because they want to frolic in the waves. The best part about swimming is the necessary loss of clothes, and the other entertainments that loss leads to.

They dry under the hot sun. Star, being incredibly pale, would burn terribly, but the healing factor takes care of it. Lucky bastard, Ric thinks lovingly. He has nothing to worry about, having been born to such heat. This weather is his natural habitat.

The sun sets, dropping into the water and painting the sky in golds, pinks, and purples. The moon is just a sliver in the sky, but with an orchestra of stars it's light enough to see.

It will be a new year in just hours, Rictor thinks. It will be better this year. It's not something he hopes, it is a decision, but also an unavoidable fact, because being better then the last year won't take much.

No resolutions, he sucks at those, either breaking them immediately, or forgotten. Vague thoughts, dedications to be happier, to be less reckless, whatever. Those are just good ideas. He has enough resolve without some holiday tradition.

At midnight, according to Ric's watch, which he is certain is either four minutes fast or six minutes slow, but can't remember which, they kiss. It's sweet, and by the time they pull apart it is certainly the new year.

Again they sleep wrapped together under the stars, lulled towards dreams by the waves coming in. They spend New Years day in a similar manner, deciding to return to New York on the second. It was only a short break, but they can always take another, the joys of teleportation.

They drive back out into the boonies, gaining speed, and vanishing into New York. Star lowers himself back into the car.

"This was highly pleasant," he says. "Though I do wish we had gotten to see a kangaroo."

"We were in Australia? What? Shouldn't we have brought our passports with, or something? Just going into a whole other country like that is kind of illegal..."


End file.
